Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. With any planning studies, we need to identify areas of the project itself, and once we do an analysis and scope of work, then we need to identify, through the capital planning process, what is required if there is going to be a new school built.

I believe that is what Ms. Allison was referring to, but I can get Ms. Allison to elaborate and make more clarification on that subject. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Since there was a request by the standing committee of this Legislative Assembly, we’ve initiated our own research and conducted various analyses, and I’ll say engaged the general public, as well, and also the standing committee went out to seek information and input from the general public. The legislation and Safe Schools Plan have been developed through this process. It is an area that pertains to my Education portfolio, where we’re going to be amending our Education Act.

When we talk about territorial-wide, it’s beyond my mandate. What we’re focusing on is the Education...

With any schools, we have to work closely, depending on the population of the students. We have to work with MACA if the school enrollment is under 150 students and also the community to find space availability for a gymnasium. For some schools, we build schools without a gymnasium because there’s a gymnasium in the community. So those are some of the reasons based on enrollment. If it’s lower than 150, then we have to work with Municipal and Community Affairs and also with community leadership to find a solution. So those are just some of the processes we have to go through within our ECE...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I believe there are upwards of 400 different projects on an annual basis with a $75 million budget. Obviously, there will be a lot of infrastructure on hold, but there are also red-flag projects and Sissons is one of them we will continue to push. We know it’s a high priority for Members and it is a high priority for my department too. ECE is working closely with Public Works and Services and Education District No. 1, as well, to complete a planning study and to advance the renovation of Ecole J.H. Sissons through government infrastructure planning process. So this is indeed...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Again, we do go through a process. Members alluded to various projects in the riding and also other ridings. All of those have been submitted. At the end of the day, we get some projects earmarked or approved as we move forward on this particular planning process. We have to, like all the departments, follow through the guidelines that are set before us.

I will get Ms. Allison to just give us a detailed process because she’s actively involved with all the projects that are going through our department along with the process itself. If I can allow Ms. Allison to elaborate...

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. With this particular project and other projects that are identified as part of the planning process, we will be going through the capital planning on an annual basis, of course, and the funding has been identified particularly for Trout Lake. Once that scope of work has been identified, we can put it into the system. Then the decision would have to be made from there. This will give us a tool to push that even further than where we are at now. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. This whole capital planning process, we go through it every year on an annual basis. Some departments get a fair amount of projects and some don’t. It’s just the reality of it. We follow through with the process that’s been set as part of the capital planning process and all of the departments follow the government-established capital planning process. You know, I can just lay it out where the protection of people, the protection of assets, protection of the environment, financial investment, and also program needs and requirements.

This is also my priority as Minister...

That’s an area where we are working closely with Public Works and Services and also BDEC, the administration. It’s been identified and the public has been commenting on some concerns in that respect. So we are moving forward on this and so we will keep Members up to speed if there are any changes coming. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I don’t have opening comments, but I do have witnesses.

We are fully aware of the situation in the E3 School. There’s been discussion between the school itself, administration, the BDEC, Health and Social Services and Public Works to deal with this ongoing issue and to have some resolution for a dental therapy suite. So the program support teacher office has been temporarily allocated for the dental therapist at this point, temporarily. Students are going to Inuvik Hospital for dental therapy appointments. We are fully aware of it and are working towards resolving that issue immediately. Mahsi.